Chapter 3 - VICTORIA’S FIRST LIE
Alejandro stared at the photograph for so long that Victoria finally snapped.
“This is fake.”
He looked up.
“You’re in it.”
“People can manipulate photographs.”
“Victoria.”
“I have never met your sister.”
Noah looked at her.
“Yes, you have.”
Victoria’s head turned.
The boy shrank closer to Elena.
Alejandro saw it.
“Don’t look at him like that.”
Victoria forced herself to breathe.
“I’m trying to understand why a child is lying about me.”
Noah’s eyes filled with tears.
“I’m not lying.”
Elena held him.
Alejandro looked at the picture again.
It was old.
Maybe five years.
Victoria’s hair was shorter.
But it was definitely her.
He turned it over.
SHE FOUND ME FIRST.
“When was this taken?”
Elena shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
Noah spoke quietly.
“At our old house.”
Alejandro crouched again.
“Where was that?”
“Virginia.”
Victoria’s face changed.
Only for half a second.
But Alejandro caught it.
“You’ve been to Virginia.”
She hesitated.
“For campaign events.”
Richard Sinclair stepped forward.
“That proves nothing.”
Alejandro looked at him.
“Why are you defending her before I’ve accused her?”
Richard’s expression hardened.
“Because this family has spent months planning a wedding that is now being destroyed by a conspiracy.”
Elena looked at him.
“You know more than you’re saying.”
Richard laughed.
“You’re a housekeeper.”
“And you’re scared.”
That shut him up.
Alejandro looked at Victoria.
“Did you meet Isabella?”
“No.”
“Look at me.”
She did.
“Did you meet my sister?”
“No.”
Alejandro nodded slowly.
Then he reached for his phone.
“Daniel.”
His security chief stepped closer.
“Pull Victoria’s private travel history for the last six years.”
Victoria’s eyes widened.
“You can’t do that.”
Alejandro looked at her.
“I own the aviation company you use.”
Richard scoffed.
“This is absurd.”
“Then there’s nothing to find.”
Daniel left the room.
Alejandro finally broke the wax seal.
Beatriz grabbed his hand.
“No.”
He pulled away.
“Why are you so afraid of this letter?”
“I’m trying to protect you.”
“You’ve been protecting me from a dead woman for sixteen years.”
Beatriz’s eyes flashed.
“Your sister destroyed this family.”
Alejandro’s voice dropped.
“My sister was nineteen.”
“She knew what she was doing.”
“She was pregnant.”
“She made her choice.”
Elena stared at Beatriz.
“And you punished her for it.”
Noah covered his ears.
Alejandro saw him.
“That’s enough.”
He took the letter and walked into the library.
Elena followed with Noah.
Victoria followed too.
Beatriz remained behind.
Richard moved closer to her.
“What was in the letter?”
“I don’t know.”
“That better be true.”
Beatriz looked at him.
For the first time, her voice shook.
“If Alejandro finds out what your daughter did, the wedding will be the least of your problems.”
Inside the library, Alejandro unfolded the letter.
The first line nearly broke him.
Alejandro,
If you are reading this, then Elena failed to keep me hidden, or I finally ran out of time.
He swallowed.
Noah watched him quietly.
Alejandro continued.
I need you to know something before you marry Victoria Sinclair.
She knows I am alive.
She has known for years.
Alejandro looked up.
Victoria’s face went white.
He kept reading.
She found me because your grandmother sent her father to do what he couldn’t finish sixteen years ago.
Victoria lunged forward.
“That’s a lie!”
Alejandro stepped back.
Elena moved between Victoria and Noah.
“Don’t.”
Alejandro read the next line.
If Victoria is still standing beside you after you read this, ask her about the lake house.
Victoria stopped moving.
Alejandro looked at her.
“What lake house?”
She said nothing.
He repeated it.
“What lake house?”
Victoria’s silence answered for her.
Then Daniel entered the library.
His face was grim.
“I found the flight records.”
Alejandro did not take his eyes off Victoria.
Daniel continued.
“She flew to Richmond four times.”
Victoria’s breathing became shallow.
“And once to a private airstrip outside Lake Gaston.”
Alejandro folded the letter.
“Where’s the lake house?”
Victoria whispered.
“Alejandro…”
He stepped closer.
“Where is it?”
She finally looked at him.
“My father owns it.”
May you like
Noah’s voice came from behind Elena.
“That’s where my mom disappeared.”
